Threats to the populations of two endemic brushturkey species in Indonesian New Guinea

Abstract

Half of megapode bird species occur in New Guinea and adjacent islands, and almost all of the species are endemic to this region. Despite rapid regional development and deforestation in New Guinea, little is known about the population ecology of these birds, many of which are threatened or endangered. We used camera traps to assess impacts of anthropogenic disturbance and introduced predators on the occurrence and local abundance of red-legged brushturkey Talegalla jobiensis in lowland forests of Nimbokrang, Papua, and the wattled brushturkey Aepypodius arfakianus in the Arfak mountains, West Papua, Indonesia. In hierarchical occupancy models, detection rates were higher in logged forest for both brushturkey species. Occurrence rates of brushturkeys were not affected by logging, hunting pressure, or pig abundance. However, as degradation of megapode habitat is increasing across New Guinea, it is predicted that concurrent pressures from two or more of these threats could affect the distribution and populations of brushturkeys. Keywords: Endemic birds, Hunting, Logging, Megapodes, Papua